A YWCA Auckland campaign will inspire a new generation of New Zealanders to take action on pay equity, the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition said today.

YWCA Auckland has today launched the Demand Equal Pay television and print campaign.

The campaign is calling on Parliament to enforce commitments made to pay equity in the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), signed and ratified by New Zealand in the 1980s.

YWCA is a member of the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition, and Coalition spokesperson Angela McLeod said their campaign was very timely.

“Just this month we had new figures showing that the gender pay gap has widened – from 12.85% in September 2011 to 14.18% in September 2012,” she said.

“Pay equity is a structural problem that requires structural solutions. Dr Judy McGregor’s proposed bill is an important step.”

“But first, we need the government to own up to the problem. We won’t build a stronger economy and fairer society without valuing the contribution of women, and a real commitment to equal pay and pay equity.”

“Well done YWCA Auckland on a great campaign. We look forward to supporting it in the coming weeks,” Angela McLeod said.

Ends.About the Pay Equity Challenge Coalition
The Pay Equity Challenge Coalition is a broad coalition of community, employer, union and academic groups who are committed to putting pay equity issues back on the Government’s and New Zealand’s agenda. http://payequity.wordpress.com